Sports
Onwuachi Explains Switch To Kavala
Nigeria striker, Benjamin Chukwuka Onwuachi says his move to Greek top side Kavala affords him the opportunity to prove he can succeed in a competitive atmosphere.
Onwuachi will be featuring in the Greek championship for the second time, after playing for Ionikos between 2006 and 2008.
The 25-year-old joined Kavala on Wednesday night from rivals Ionikos after the latter failed to conclude a deal with Cyprus side APOEL Nicosia.
“Both APOEL and Ionikos failed to reach an agreement and it was time to look elsewhere,” Onwuachi told Tidesports source.
“I enjoyed my time in Cyprus football but once the opportunity to play in the Greek top flight surfaced I felt wonderfully excited.
“I had little chance in Italy (with Juventus), I scored goals in the Cypriot league and Greek second division but nothing compares to the challenge of the top division with Kavala.
“This is probably the last chance to prove I can be a big hit in a competitive league and I am sure things will go really well.”
Onwuachi came to prominence in Italian football when he scored on his debut for Juventus in the Coppa Italia against Siena in 2003.
But with established stars like Alesandro Del Piero, David Trezeguet, Zalayeta and Miccoli ahead of him in the pecking order, he was farmed out on loan to Salernitana in the Italian Serie B.
Three goals in 15-games was the outcome of his stint at Salernitana before he returned to the Stadio delle Alpi.
With several names arriving at the Old Lady, another loan deal to Belgium was hastily arranged as the club refused to sell off their outright ownership of the Nigerian.
But that loan switch to Belgian giant Standard Liege only derailed his progress as the big money arrival from Juventus only took comfort on the bench of Standard instead.
“It was the biggest mistake of my career because while scoring freely in training and friendly games, the coach just refused to play me in any match,” Onwuachi recalled.
Ionikos rescued him from that meltdown as he attempted to resuscitate his career and a promising start which had earned him the moniker ‘Investment’.
The former FC Ebedei and AC Regianna striker may have played in Italy, Belgium, Greece and Cyprus but nothing compare to his 21 goals in 69 appearances for Ionikos.
On loan to Cyprus last season Onwuachi helped APOEL Nicosia to the Cypriot title scoring 12 goals in 32 games.
Missing out on Champions League football, Onwuachi is looking ahead to better days and fortunes with Kavala: “All that is in the past now and my immediate target is to help Kavala achieve success,” he added.
“It is a fresh start for me and I just can’t wait.”
With the chance to play alongside midfielder and compatriot Wilson Oruma in the colours of Kavala, the striker knows he has a chance to blossom in front of goal.
“After just one training session together I could tell I have a chance to be the best I can be in front of goal with him helping out.”
Kavala’s fans will be hoping their new signing can make their dream of playing European football come true.
Only Denmark, ranked 21st globally, sits higher among nations that failed to qualify for the tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
England and Chelsea legend John Terry was among those to voice his disappointment, describing Nigeria as a significant loss to a tournament that features 48 nations for the first time.
“Nigeria will be a big miss. This is a World Cup for participants who haven’t had the opportunity to play in the tournament. I would have loved to see a top team like Nigeria there because they’ve got some great individuals. They’re a great nation,” Terry said during a virtual roundtable session organised by SuperSport.
“I think they are a big miss because Nigeria probably would have gone further in the competition, but unfortunately, one side’s loss is another’s gain,” the former England captain added.
Eric Chelle’s side finished second in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers behind South Africa, who secured automatic qualification. Nigeria kept their hopes alive with a playoff semi-final victory over Gabon before falling to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties in the decisive playoff final — their second successive absence from the World Cup after also missing the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
The Nigeria Football Federation later challenged DR Congo’s qualification, alleging the use of ineligible players during the campaign, but the appeal was dismissed.
Despite missing the World Cup, the Super Eagles remain Africa’s 3rd highest-ranked team behind Morocco, who sit seventh in the world, and Senegal. Algeria and Egypt complete the continent’s top five.
Defending champions Argentina enter the tournament as the world’s top-ranked side, ahead of Spain, France, England and Portugal. Brazil are sixth, followed by Morocco, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
The next FIFA World Ranking will be released on July 20, a day after the World Cup final.
Chima Akachukwu and Miracle Akhigbe are among the 16 notable stars picked by the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) for the forthcoming Namibia Tour, where the YellowGreens will compete in a T20 and 50-Over Tri-Series, featuring hosts Namibia and Hong Kong China.
Both players make their way back into the YellowGreens fold after periods away from the side and will be eager to contribute their experience and quality as Nigeria pursues success in Namibia.
The NCF said yesterday that the squad, which departs Nigeria today, forms part of the national team’s continued preparations for future international assignments as the YellowGreens seek to build on recent performances and strengthen their standing on the global stage.
Leading the squad is Captain Sulaimon Runsewe, who will spearhead Nigeria’s campaign against two formidable opponents in what promises to be a highly competitive series.
The selected squad combines experienced internationals with emerging talents, providing the technical crew an opportunity to assess player development and team combinations in both the T20 and 50-over formats.
The team will be led on tour by Coaches Leke Oyede and Tamuno John, who will oversee preparations and match operations during the opening phase of the series.
Joining the squad later in Namibia will be the newly appointed Head Coach and High Performance Manager, Stephen Magongo, whose arrival marks another significant step in the Federation’s commitment to strengthening the national team structure and enhancing player development pathways.
Supporting the coaching staff are Team Analyst Jamal Okechukwu, Strength and Conditioning Coach Seye Olympio, and Team Physiotherapist Timothy Adesomowo, forming a well-rounded technical crew focused on maximising player performance and welfare throughout the tour.
The NCF views the Namibia Tri-Series as an important platform for the continued growth of the national team, offering valuable international exposure and competitive match experience against quality opposition. The series will provide the players and technical crew with another opportunity to evaluate progress, fine-tune strategies, and build momentum ahead of future international competitions.
The YellowGreens will face Namibia and Hong Kong China in both T20 and 50-over contests, with the matches expected to test the team’s adaptability, discipline, and resilience in challenging conditions.
Blessing Otu on Monday overcame hard-fighting Kelvin Bebe- Emmanuella in two sets of 6-1, 6-3 to qualify for the second round of the women’s singles of the ongoing 47th Central Bank of Nigeria Senior Tennis Championship, held at the Tennis Courts of the package “B” of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
Speaking after the round of 32 game, Otu, who will be 19 years old in September, said she capitalised on her opponent’s weaknesses to gain victory, having studied her game very well.
“Bebe is a very good and tough player. But I studied her game and did the job well.
“Although she tried to come back in the second set, I punctured all her tricks to win the match and move on. I wish I could continue like this in the rest of my games,” she said.
Another member of the Otu family, John Out, was also victorious as he defeated Mohammed Abdusalam 2-1 (6-2, 6-7, 6-1) in the men’s singles category to advance into the round of 32.
But the third Otu in the game, Thomas, was not that lucky as he lost by 6-0, 7-5 in two straight sets to Danjuma Isaac.
In other matches, Michael Emmanuel defeated Ibrahim Aminu to advance, while Drimiya Mevi outclassed Seyi Ogunsakin by beating him 2-1 (6-7, 6-3, 6-1). Action continues tomorrow when other top players, including the men’s singles top seed, Abua Cannice, join the chase for honours.
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